The sun had nearly vanished behind the hills.
Amukelo walked slightly ahead of the wagon. He slowed his steps, eyes darting between the trees. Something didn't feel right.
He turned his head slightly, just enough for Pao to hear. "Pao... keep your mana sharp. I can't sense it, but... something's here."
Pao sat upright. Her fingers lightly tightened around her staff. "I don't feel anything yet," she said quietly, "but I will."
They pushed forward. The last of the light was gone now, replaced by creeping darkness.
That was when Pao exclaimed. "Stop!!"
Ulhem yanked the reins back without hesitation. The horses snorted and came to a halt. "What is it?"
Pao stood up on the edge of the wagon, staff pointing ahead. "There's a trap," she said. "Right in front of us."
She extended her arm, and a glimmering bubble of water formed at her staff's tip. With a simple flick, she sent it sailing forward. It arced through the air and splashed harmlessly against the path. and then the road exploded.
A deafening blast tore through the air, ripping into the earth. Dirt shot skyward in a thunderous column, followed by sharp fragments of stone and debris raining down in all directions. The horses reared back, panicked, and Ulhem shouted to calm them. The diplomat cursed under his breath, pulling his cloak over his head. The surveyor dropped low into the wagon, shielding himself.
The dust hadn't even started to settle when Amukelo shouted. "Pao! Watch out!"
She turned instinctively toward the still-falling debris, her staff shifting in her hand — and that's when she saw a figure burst from the settling dust. Long limbs, extended claws like jagged blades, and eyes that glowed faintly through the gloom.
But Amukelo was already there.
He slammed into the space between them. The enemy's claws crashed against the flat of his blade with a sound like metal scraping stone. The impact forced his boots to skid backward in the dirt, leaving a sharp trail of torn earth. He only stopped sliding when his back nearly pressed against Pao.
Pao stared at him with wide eyes.
Amukelo didn't look back. He simply growled through his teeth, "Stay alert. He might not be alone."
Then he shoved forward, forcing the attacker back.
Pao quickly steadied herself and gave a nod. "Ugh… thanks."
The enemy flipped mid-air and landed effortlessly on his feet. As the dirt cleared, they saw his face.
It was Raidar, bute slightly differen. He had pale skin, glowing eyes, and long fangs beneath a sneer.
Amukelo's expression twisted the moment he recognized him.
"You bastard…" he hissed. "So it was you all along. Do you know how much pain you caused? How many people you've hurt?!"
Raidar didn't answer. He only huffed. Then he lunged.
The impact rattled through Amukelo's sword arm as he blocked the incoming strike. Raidar had speed, but also unnatural strength, each clash drove Amukelo back an inch. Amukelo responded with a fast sidestep, turning into a slash of his own, but Raidar jumped back, evading the slash.
"Damn," Amukelo muttered. "He's strong."
From behind, Pao raised her staff. A red circle flared to life beneath her feet.
Fiery chains erupted from the circle, shooting outward toward Raidar.
But Raidar had already sensed it.
Even before the chains fully formed, he twisted his body and leapt back out of range, the chains lashing at nothing.
He landed on the far side of the circle, untouched. His expression didn't change — he only exhaled again through his nose.
Pao cursed under her breath. "Tsk… He's fast. Too fast."
Amukelo adjusted his stance, raising his blade once more. "Then we have to catch him."
They stayed in the circle for a moment, Raidar couldn't approach because of the chains.
"Should I crack it?" she whispered.
Amukelo didn't take his eyes off the vampire. "No, not yet," he whispered back. "If he has an ally, we need to draw them out. Even if we catch him, there's no guarantee we'll find the others unless we—"
But before he could finish, Raidar suddenly plunged his long claws into the earth. They sank without resistance, disappearing up to the wrists.
Pao's eyes widened. "Amu, watch out!"
A second later, the earth beneath them cracked open.
Jet-black claws, longer than a man's arm, burst from the ground.
Pao jumped back, but one claw caught her shoulder mid-turn. The edge tore through the cloth of her robe and left a searing line of pain across her flesh. She staggered, wincing, clutching her arm.
Amukelo turned, "Pao!"
But she didn't falter. Instead, with blood trickling from her shoulder, she extended her staff toward him. "I said you watch out!"
A transparent wall of blue light shimmered to life between Amukelo and Raidar just in time for a black spear, formed from condensed mist, to pierce through the air. It struck the shield and dissolved into mist with a faint hiss.
The circle around them vanished once she lost concentration.
Raidar stepped from the fog, rushing at Amukelo. But Amukelo had already turned to face him, ready for the impact.
Steel met claw again. Raidar slashed once more with his second arm, but Amukelo closed the distance before the strike could finish, using the narrow gap between them to jam his elbow into the vampire's chest. The strike broke the momentum of the slash, forcing Raidar slightly off balance.
Raidar's mouth opened, and lunged toward Amukelo's shoulder. But Amukelo snarled and answered with a sharp uppercut that snapped the vampire's jaw shut. Then he slashed downward, cutting a deep line across Raidar's torso.
Raidar hissed, jumped back, and slashed through the air. A black wave of mist energy surged forward toward Amukelo.
But a second shield of mana materialized just in time. The wave slammed against it and dispersed in a flurry of darkness and wind.
Raidar turned his gaze to Pao with anger.
But there were four of her now.
Before he could pick out the real one, a barrage of water bolts came flying at him. One struck him in the shoulder, another grazed his thigh. He spun to evade, only to be met by a roaring fireball streaking toward him.
It exploded, throwing dust and smoke into the air.
From within the haze, a faint pulse of light flickered. A sphere of magic shield surrounded Raidar. He crouched inside it, breathing hard. Blood seeped from the long slash across his chest.
But slowly, almost unwillingly, the bleeding began to stop. His body shuddered. His fingers twitched. The wound began to seal.
"I won't let you heal!" Amukelo yelled.
He was already moving. He charged through the mist, sword held low. Raidar raised both claws, preparing to block, but Amukelo feinted.
With a sharp twist of his wrist, Amukelo knocked one of Raidar's arms to the side. The sword's edge scraped along the vampire's claw. Then he spun, pressing forward with momentum, and thrust the blade straight toward Raidar's chest—
"Amukelo, your left!!" Pao's voice cut through the air.
A wall of earth shot up beside him. He halted instinctively, twisting his torso to look, but it was too late.
A black figure, smaller than Raidar but just as fast, exploded from the forest line and crashed into him like a cannonball.
The impact sent Amukelo flying several meters back. He crashed into the wagon, wood splintering on impact, and rolled through broken debris. The cart collapsed in a heap around him. The wheels twisted off their axles. A crate burst open, spilling its contents into the grass.
He dropped to one knee. But his left arm hung limp at his side, bleeding from a gash that ran through his forearm.
He gritted his teeth, trying to move it—but pain flared, bright and immediate. It wouldn't respond.
Amukelo looked up. "Another one..." he muttered.